ARMA Qualifications Programme: Supporting your growth in research management

As ARMA’s Director of Qualifications, and as Chair of the Qualifications Working Group, I’m delighted to share this refreshed programme with you. I’ve had the privilege of being closely involved throughout the review listening to members, working with colleagues across the sector, and helping shape a learning experience that’s practical, rigorous and truly relevant. I’m genuinely proud of what we’ve built together, and I can’t wait to see how it supports ARMA members at every stage of their careers. 

As research managers and administrators, we know how quickly our professional landscape is changing. That’s why the ARMA Certificates in Research Management (Advanced and Foundation) have been fully reviewed and refreshed by consultants AHEP, with extensive support from our Qualifications Working Group, to make sure it reflects the realities of working in UK research organisations in 2026 and beyond. 

The refreshed Certificates have been updated to flexibly support how ARMA members work, learn, and develop in practice. 

A clear, connected learning journey 

The programmes follow a coherent pathway across the research lifecycle, from policy and funding, through project management and research culture, to impact and engagement. Each unit builds on the last, reinforcing research administration as a connected profession, not a set of disconnected tasks. 

Future ready curriculum 

Integration of equality, sustainability, digital transformation, and AI prepares learners for modern research management. These themes are embedded across the programmes, mirroring real‑world practice in UK and international institutions. 

Learning you can use immediately 

Assessments across all units are scenario based and workplace relevant, asking learners to apply their learning directly to their own organisations through authentic tasks not abstract theory.  

Aligned to ARMA Professional Development 

Every unit will be fully mapped to the ARMA Professional Development Framework, clearly showing how learning supports progression across operational, management, and leadership levels. It’s a qualification designed to support meaningful CPD, recognised and understood across the sector. 

A Future Proofed Investment for ARMA Members 

Whether you’re building your foundation in research administration, stepping into management responsibilities, or consolidating your professional practice, the Certificates offer a comprehensive route covering the full research lifecycle. 

SUMMARY 

What they are and who they are for? 

• A professional qualification aimed at Research Administrators and Managers in the UK and beyond.  

• Developed and delivered by some of the UK’s leading practitioners in research management  

• Accredited by Awards for Training and Higher Education (ATHE) and regulated by OFQUAL. 

Certificate in Research Management Foundation 

• An introductory level qualification for those starting their career in research administration 

• It covers a broad range of topics required for an overall understanding of research management  

Certificate in Research Management Advanced 

• The Advanced certificate has been designed to provide an insight into the technical and professional skills needed in research management today.  

• A deep dive into the skills, roles and activities required for the profession and supports students to develop a higher-level view of the issues 

If you’re an ARMA member ready for the next step, this is a qualification programme built for you. To find out more about the benefits to this programme for you and for your organisation please join one of our information sessions or click here to register today. 

If you have questions about whether the programme is right for you, or you’d like to understand how it can support your team’s development, please do get in touch via qualifications@arma.ac.uk .  

I’m excited to welcome the next cohort of learners and to see this qualification continue to raise the profile of research management and administration across the UK. 

Dr Camelia Dijkstra
Director of Qualifications, ARMA UK
Chair, ARMA Qualifications Working Group
Programme Presenter and Assessor